Aversion elicited by basal forebrain-to-lateral habenula activation does not evoke a stress response. (a) Experimental paradigm for plasma collection at baseline, post-stim, and 20 min post stim. Each time point separated by 2 weeks. (b) Baseline hormone levels across all hormones measured for GFP controls and ChR2-EYFP animals. Statistical tests using multiple unpaired t-tests. Error bars represent SEM. n = 6 for GFP controls, n = 7 for ChR2-EYFP animals. For ACTH: GFP controls = 504.03 ± 158.94 pg/mL, ChR2 animals = 444.82 ± 146.80 pg/mL (p = 0.9799). For corticosterone: GFP controls = 437.74 ± 93.38 ng/mL, ChR2 animals = 376.45 ± 60.59 ng/mL (p = 0.9111). For epinephrine: GFP controls = 677.17 ± 115.04 pg/mL, ChR2 animals = 639.29 ± 126.13 pg/mL (p = 0.9950). For norepinephrine: GFP controls = 873.17 ± 89.83 pg/mL, ChR2 animals = 719.29 ± 94.81 pg/mL (p = 0.6007). (c) Hormone levels at baseline, post-stim, and 20 min post stim for stress response hormones ACTH and corticosterone. Statistical significance determined using repeated measures Two-way ANOVA with a Sidak correction for multiple comparisons. n = 6 for GFP controls, n = 7 for ChR2-EYFP animals For ACTH: GFP controls at baseline = 504.03 ± 158.94 pg/mL, ChR2-EYFP animals at baseline = 444.82 ± 145.80 pg/mL, p = 0.9799. GFP controls post stim = 586.11 ± 129.50 pg/mL, ChR2-EYFP post stim = 719.61 ± 77.57 pg/mL, p = 0.8197. GFP controls 20-min post stim = 630.24 ± 98.01 pg/mL, ChR2-EYFP 20 min post stim = 628.4 ± 89.46 pg/mL, p = > 0.999. For corticosterone: GFP controls at baseline = 437.74 ± 93.38 ng/mL, ChR2-EYFP animals at baseline = 376.45 ± 60.59 ng/mL, p = 0.9111. GFP controls post stim = 409.17 ± 92.20 ng/mL, ChR2-EYFP post stim = 455.90 ± 84.11 ng/mL, p = 0.9575. GFP controls 20 min post stim = 306.86 ± 58.40 ng/mL, ChR2-EYFP 20 min post stim = 381.12 ± 33.80 pg/mL, p = 0.8541. (d) Hormone levels at baseline, post-stim, and 20 min post stim for fight-or-flight hormones epinephrine and norepinephrine. Statistical significance determined using repeated measures Two-way ANOVA with a Sidak correction for multiple comparisons. n = 6 for GFP controls, n = 7 for ChR2-EYFP animals. For epinephrine: GFP controls at baseline = 677.17 ± 115.04, ChR2-EYFP animals at baseline = 639.29 ± 126.13, p = 0.9950. GFP controls post stim = 365.50 ± 37.82, ChR2-EYFP animals post stim = 514.14 ± 53.00, p = 0.1278. GFP controls 20 min post stim = 364.50 ± 39.10, ChR2-EYFP animals 20 min post stim = 438.00 ± 45.31, p = 0.5698. For norepinephrine: GFP controls at baseline = 873.17 ± 89.83, ChR2-EYFP animals at baseline = 719.29 ± 94.81, p = 0.6007. GFP controls post stim = 768.83 ± 150.05, ChR2-EYFP animals post stim = 546.86 ± 42.95, p = 0.4999. GFP controls 20 min post stim = 628.33 ± 87.80, ChR2-EYFP animals 20 min post stim = 431.29 ± 58.80, p = 0.2591.